Are you a complete beginner wanting the freedom of working from home, or needing more money?

Do you have a moderate amount of knowledge about online marketing?

Have you tried to put together an online business, but found it too time-consuming?

Do you have an online business, but you're struggling to generate consistent income?

If any of these descriptions apply to you, affiliate marketing is something that may be perfect for your needs!

Affiliate marketing is not hard. It's easy, as long as you know How to work it. There are many models to use for your platform, but the important thing is not to waste time or money on something that is not workable.

Do your research. Look around for something that is legitimate and free to join.

Use a platform that has clear, concise instructions. You don't want to join a program with a vague description, or where goal-setting is not clearly defined. Customer-support is imperative, and should be easy to access.

Any program should allow room from growth, in all directions. What this means is that: You want to be able to not only make money with the program and its products, you want to be able to expand your knowledge, your network,and your income!

Use free Website-builders, such as Wordpress or Google's Blogger, to design a blog for your unique "brand," (What value are you offering or selling?). Then, drive traffic to your blog.

At first your income will be low, and your time investment high.The only way around a longer journey is to cut some of the effort down

For that I always recommend things that build your business, such as upgrades for traffic-building programs andemail-marketing software, like Mailchimp or Benchmark.While it is possible to earn income with no cash investment,plan on investing as your income grows.

Even if you have a business idea, passion or brand, you can use Affiliate Marketing to make some extra cash to re-invest into your passion! It's a "starter" and can also be a "foundation" for your main business. For example, my "main" business, the one that I'm most passionate about, is my jewelry store. I use the Affiliates to make a little extra cash to re-invest in the software programs that I need to run my store.

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

"Building an online business is never an easy task. Either if you are a business veteran or a beginner pursuing a dream, there are numerous challenges to overcome, trends to keep an eye on and a need for tremendous preparation. To make it at least a tiny bit easier, we decided to put together a 12-point checklist, covering all the essential steps for starting an online business." Walter Nigh

1. The idea

The most crucial part of becoming an entrepreneur in the online business is to have at least a rough idea of what you could offer for your audience or customers. Are you thinking about offering a complex service? Would you like to generate revenue from an interesting topic and an audience? There are numerous business models out there, which you can follow and which can help you to visualize the future of your online business. Brokerage, advertising, info-mediary or affiliate services are a few examples of online business types. With some research, you might find yourself coming up with an idea that fits one of these categories and seems like a real profitable one. On the other hand, if you are lucky enough to have at least a broad idea of what you would like to do, you are ready to move on to the second point.

2. Review & improve ideas again!

You wouldn't want to fall into the mistake of establishing a business, which offers services that nobody cares about. I know that you probably think that this isn't so, however, sometimes we can easily get carried away by our own "great" ideas. Your next step is to make sure that there is an actual need for the services that you would like to offer. How is this possible? Gather as much data as you can, ask people on the street, send out a bunch of emails to the ones who you think would be your target audience, run polls in online communities, etc.

All in all, try everything you can to get as close as possible to having a representative data. This will not only get you closer to confirming the "greatness" of your idea but will also help you to identify the real target audience. For example, if you create an online questionnaire and share it in a group chat, make sure to have people share their age and gender with you. This can be later used to narrow down your target audience.

Obviously, don't share your whole plan while talking to people, as you should be keeping your "great" idea to yourself. Share the most important aspects and features of your future product or service and have them rate your idea. It is even better if you ask

3. Money, money, money

As mentioned earlier, there are numerous business models out there which you can follow with your next online business. However, picking one in the early phase is a must! You need to be aware of how will your future business generate revenue - and I'm not only talking about having a broad idea. No! You need to know the exact steps before setting up your business and throwing the whole idea out there. This will help you to stay on the top of your game, create your detailed business plan and most importantly, give you better chances at not failing - especially financially. If you will not be selling products, this can be tricky, so make sure to dedicate enough time to this topics. There are numerous solutions, so it's the best time to get back to the lab and start your research.

4. Take a look around

Okay. You have an idea, which seems to be interesting and also figured out a business model, that would generate constant revenue for your online business. Now it's time to turn the focus on the other players. Dig up everything on any other online companies, or solo entrepreneurs who are offering the same service as you will be. The chances are high that you will bump into a bunch of future competitors, where the best scenario is ending up with a few big names who are doing something similar. Why? Because it proves that your idea is already working - only it's making others successful at the moment and not you.

Don't get nervous about discovering that your idea is already out there. In these cases, you can either get back to the first point and think of another one (not the easiest thing), or alter your present idea, so that it can offer something better, faster, cheaper, easier compared to your future competitors. Also, if it seems like that there are hundreds of others doing the same as you are planning to, don't simply just give up on your idea, but start thinking about how you could make it unique. Surely if there are hundreds like you, they were able to do the same, so why give up? The next point might come in handy in this case.

5. Analyze and learn

It's time to get back to the lab! Gather every detail that you can on your future competitors. Know them and know them well. If you are going to join the competition for online success, it is vital to know the business model of the others. How do they generate revenue? Who is the most successful? What are their strengths and weaknesses? What is their target audience? It might take considerable time but these insights are vital in the long run. Why? Because this can help you create value and transform your idea into an actual piece of art, that offers better capabilities compared to others. Furthermore, it helps you to make your future product or service: UNIQUE!

6. Uniqueness

If you have done your homework, you should be aware of the similar services out there. The information can help you to hone your future product or service and make it more unique. All the data that you have gathered in point five and two, will get you a bunch of vital insights on your target audience, the best business models out there, the various pricing possibilities, and on the unique functions, services or extras which are needed to differentiate your own service from your competitors. This is your way to uniqueness.

7. Branding

You have to look at your online business as a brand. The previous points can help you identify your message, and with a powerful message comes a strong brand. Think of the various aspects of branding strategies, from the smallest ones (picking the colors and fonts of your web page) to the more complex challenges (creating a logo or slogan). You might consider talking to a professional who can help you to create your own brand identity, which will make connecting easier. Once again, thorough research is indispensable and don't stop until at least you have a few sketches or names that seem to be catchy.

8. Online foundation

With all of these at hand, you should be ready to create the core of your online business, which consists of a well designed and attractive website, an email address, and social media profiles. You can set these up basically without launching the whole project, which gives you some buffer time to ensure that everything will go smoothly. Designing your website should be your top priority, as it will be your main tool to convert your readers/users/visitors into potential customers/subscribers. Make sure that your website has rock-star content, that helps you to connect with your audience and turn them into rabid fans.

9. Testing

With every point you get closer to launching your online business, however, it also means that more and more issues or questions arise. To avoid a sloppy launch, it is advisable to run a testing phase, which can give you some extra time to deliver those final touches that are still missing. Get friends, colleagues, ex- colleagues together and a run a short test. This will give you some initial insights on how could be your customer experience improved. In some cases, especially if you are planning to offer a service for other businesses, it might be advisable to have a few of your potential future customers join your initial test phase - offer them something in exchange, such as lower monthly fees for a year -, which can easily get you your first customers together with invaluable insights. On the other hand, you can also get your first testimonials, social followers, and email subscribers, so in a way, the initial testing can be your first milestone.

10. Analyze and implement

If your test phase seems to be 100% positive, the participants weren't honest probably. At least you should be receiving a few remarks on the colors of the buttons on your homepage, or that your background image is not "that" cool, or that your "About us" page is glitchy. These test phases get you valuable feedbacks and even if you are 100% sure that everything is perfect, it is usually not. Analyze the feedbacks you have received and implement any additional functions, or changes that are recommended by the bigger percentage. Obviously, you won't be able to offer a product that fits everyone's needs, but you should be paying attention to the needs of your future audience. Don't be upset if you run into a bunch of negative comments or weird suggestions, remember, that there is a possibility that one of them is a real game changer. Don't get sloppy and spend time on evaluating your new data.

11. It's launch time!

You've got everything in place, so it's time to hit the big red button and go viral. Spread the word on social media, send out your first newsletters and watch closely. This is it, you are running an online business! Enjoy it for a few moments and after that, get prepared for the new challenges. Focus on creating engaging content on social media to draw more attention to your website, start ad campaigns and advertise your service as much as possible. Your number one goal from now on is to build an engaged audience, followers, who will tell everyone about your business. Be an active part of the community that you are building and be approachable. Spend time on preparing and launching marketing campaigns to get traffic to your brand-new site. Invest in PPC advertising and look for other options of cooperation to get noticed.

12. It's always lab time!

It is impossible to achieve success, without paying attention to the details. With the constantly changing online environment, you have to remember, that it is simply always lab time. That means, that you will have to closely analyze all the data that you have about your new website. Who are your most frequent visitors? Did you correctly identify your target audience? Is your service receiving positive feedback? How are my competitors reacting? These are just a few of the questions which you should pay attention to. Be prepared to changing your original plan or to re-scale your business. You will have to react to the changing needs, fresh feedbacks of your potential customers, which means a never ending cycle of the following 4 things: Gathering insights - Analyzing Data - Modifying/Implementing - Testing. If you keep these 4 things on your daily schedule, you will surely be able to react to the needs of your audience. This enables your online business to become a successful one.

We hope that these 12 points will help you in building your own success story. These are only a few basic ideas that can get you closer to achieve your goals and building your own online business. Obviously, everyone's story is different, however, these 12 steps seem to be vital, when it comes to turning an idea into reality. Don't be afraid to step out there and give yourself a chance! We wish you the best and hope that your great idea, successfully transforms into a great online business!

Monday, March 25, 2019

Building a business from home is not nearly as difficult as it was a decade ago, when I began...and yet, some challenges never change!

This is me (center) in 2011.

When I started my eCommerce journey, like you, I was more than a little confused about how to drive traffic to my website.

Back then, cold-calling was a huge thing with marketers. We had lists, schedules, scripts, & pep-talks from sponsors or team-leaders.

I remember sitting at the telephone (Are you old enough to remember "land line phones?")...for hours, calling my cold-list, then my warm-list, then my cold-list. I had a different script (a pre-written text) for each list!

Driving traffic to my website has never been easy.

Classified ads cost money. I had ads in the local newspapers, the Regional and "trade" magazines, and a wish-list for radio spots. I used business cards and flyers, walking door-to-door, placing them in my neighbors' mailboxes!

I subscribed to a mailing-list program that sold names and addresses for potential out-of-state customers. I'd buy lots of postage stamps and mail flyers and/or letters by the hundreds!

With the help of something as basic as a Search Engine, you can find a variety of ways to get the word out about your brand or business. Some free, some not-so-free, others are downright costly. But Digital Marketing will get you the traffic you need if you persist. The key is consistency and patience.

You see, using these methods actually "compound" in benefits. The more you do it, the better your results!

Monday, February 25, 2019

Got an idea for a business? Think you can make money with it?

Telling your family and friends about it has you doubting yourself and your ideas. Sure, they love you, but they don't want to see you disappointed, or spending too much money on something that's not a "sure thing." I get it.

So this is what I suggest. Before you get disillusioned and give-up your dreams of a better future, do your homework.

The most important thing to consider is:Will your business-idea help people or solve a problem?

The more people you help, the better your 'problem-solver,' the more money you'll make!

Do your homework: Research your Niche. Find a rich-niche market. One of the easiest ways of making money online is just by helping others! Find out how you can create mouth-watering offers that customers will gladly pay for!

Tuesday, January 29, 2019

For nearly 10 years, Judge Glenda Hatchett has delighted TV audiences with a brand of justice that turns the everyday into something remarkably watchable!Her message can be distilled into the following two words: Dare Yourself.

Whatever obstacles or fears one faces, Judge Hatchett's prescription implores readers to write their own story in this life. With care and conviction, Judge Hatchett uses real life stories from the courtroom and her personal life to counsel readers. She shows them how to find their true purpose and gifts, to be real about their reality and its potential outside of challenging circumstances, and to always be true to themselves.

Interactive as well as inspirational, Dare to Take Charge challenges the reader to ask self-reflective questions that lead to moments of self-discovery and a defined pathway to healing!

Daring her audience to study the positive with the same interest and intensity that they study the negative, Judge Hatchett uncovers the potential for grace and success in lives that are now punctuated with despair and unfaithfulness.Live life on your own terms. Dare to take charge, starting Now!Get the book here.http://bit.ly/TakecharJbook

Thursday, January 10, 2019

Choosing an affiliate program to help you make money from home, can be a daunting task. You know what your financial goals are, and you have a clear picture of "where you want to go" with your online business, but you just don't know how to get there!

Well, here's help! First,

Do your research! Research...

What is the highest paying affiliate program?

Can you really make money with affiliate marketing?

What is the best affiliate program to join?

What is the best niche for affiliate marketing?

But once you find what you're looking for...
if you're looking to make money...

Don't quit!

Here's why:

The Affiliate Program pays its Associate commission for sending traffic to their website.

When you join a program, you enter into an agreement to send traffic to that program's website. This requires an investment of time and/or money. If you start investing, you will not reap the benefits of that investment until you see a return. Therefore, it's vital that you continue on the path until this happens. Then, when you've established your brand (your online-presence), you've built relationships & trust. This will propel your income into the thousands, like a multiplier!

Choosing an affiliate program is like choosing a train bound for success!

The agreement between you and the Affiliate Program allows flexibility.
The best affiliate programs are free to join, and offer multiple streams of income. For example, Shopify offers the platform on which to build your own store. But in addition, you can make money as an "affiliate" of Shopify, so that you make money when someone else joins Shopify. You can also partner with other merchants to help sell their products, and they, in turn, help sell your products!Building a real business takes time. (Don't believe the hype!)

Here's a valuable quote from a long-standing affiliate program:

"Being an entrepreneur can be fun, intoxicating, and very lucrative, but don't join [our program] if you're not willing to invest some time and effort. Success comes before work ONLY in the dictionary. There are no shortcuts."

There's something special about logging into a program day after day, interacting with other associates, and establishing relationships within the program. Join a program that has a forum or "meeting place" for its affiliates, and an active, real-time support channel.

Finally, if you stay aboard the "Train," you'll eventually "get there!"
It goes without saying, that if you abandon the project, if you jump-ship, if you get off the train bound for success...

you'll never get there! Don't quit, because quitting is a set-back.

"...Now what do I do??"

You're stuck where you are....

Did you set a financial goal? Did you have a clear picture of where you wanted to go? Where you'd like to be in 2 years? In 5 years? In 10 years?

The road to success may be long, but every road has an end, & you'll get there!